Last year, Governor Newsom signed over 1,500 bills passed by the State Assembly or Senate, which became law as of January 2026. Other agencies and organizations also created new rules and regulations. Below is a small sample—in no particular order of importance—that may affect our day-to-day lives… or not (a state shrub?).
Assembly Bill (AB) 1825: The Freedom to Read Act
Schools cannot ban books for political reasons. All state-funded schools and libraries must have clear rules about which books are in their collections and provide a clear process for challenging any book in those collections.
California Department of Finance
The statewide minimum wage increased from $16.50 to $16.90 per hour.
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
Fares increased by 6.2%. This is expected to add about 30¢ to the average trip. Parking fees at some stations also increased by 40¢.
Senate Bill (SB) 294: Workplace Know Your Rights Act
Employers must give employees written notice by February 1—and annually thereafter—detailing organizing rights, immigration protections, and other labor rights.
Senate Bill (SB) 1053
Bans single-use carry-out plastic bags at checkout, including the thicker type considered reusable. This applies to grocery and convenience stores, as well as retailers with pharmacies such as Target and Walmart. Only recycled paper bags may be sold.
AB 578
Food delivery services must provide full refunds—including tips, taxes, and fees—if an order is not delivered or is incorrect. Refunds must be made to the original payment method, not just as credits. Food delivery companies such as DoorDash and Uber Eats are prohibited from using tips or gratuities to subsidize a driver’s base pay.
AB 628
Landlords must provide working stoves and refrigerators in rental units.
AB 867
Declawing cats is illegal unless the procedure is medically necessary.
SB 627
All law-enforcement agencies, including Border Patrol and ICE, cannot use masks to conceal officers’ identities during operations. Caveat: A threatened lawsuit from the current administration could delay or block this bill from going into effect.
AB 1830
Mandatory folic acid fortification in corn masa flour and wet masa products sold in the state aims to help prevent birth defects in the Latino community. This makes California the first state to require fortification for a culturally significant staple food, with some exemptions for small businesses.
AB 268
Public schools and community colleges will be closed on Diwali. State employees may choose to take the day off with pay.
AB 489
Targets AI systems that misrepresent themselves as licensed health care professionals. Developers and operators are prohibited from using titles, icons, phrases, or language that falsely suggest a human health care provider is giving advice or assessments.
SB 765: Two new state symbols
1. State shrub: bigberry manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca)
2. State snake: giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas)
